Hit the slopes

Want to improve your skiing? You can learn a lot on the women-only ski weeks run by Redpoint. Designed for intermediate skiers, packages include three hours’ tuition a day and half-board, four-star hotel accomodation in Austria’s Ziller Valley. Ski weeks for beginners and solo travellers are also available.|||http://redpoint.co.uk/

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Be a chill-seeker

A state-of-the-art spa hotel in the Austrian Alps is a great place for a healthy break – and the AlpenMed Hotel specialises in innovative Cryotherapy treatments. Originating in Japan, Cryotherapy involves entering an icy chamber, where the temperature is -110 degrees centigrade – colder than Antartica. It’s a deep-freeze treatment that’s said to build immunity, improve circulation and rejuvinate skin. The rush of endorphins makes it an effective treatment for stress and depression. From £34 a session.|||http://www.alpenmedhotel.com/

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Pizza and piste

If you like skiing but aren’t a complete obsessive, mix it with a city break. It means packing salopettes as well as that designer handbag, but the rewards are considerable if you pick a choice spot like Merano. Set on the sunny side of the Alps, this friendly spa town typifies the engaging fusion if Italian and German cultures that is the South Tyrol. Mountain views and designer hotels like the Vigilius, are matched with smart shops, fine dining and and urban style that makes a refreshing change from the pressure-cooker atmosphere of ski villages.|||http://www.vigilius.it/en/nature/nature/33-0.html

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Spectacular scenery

Iceland is the best place to look for a good deal matched with an exhilarating change of scenery. Seeiceland2go.comfor Northern Lights breaks based out in the countryside, where the viewing is best. VisitIceland.com also has more options.|||http://iceland2go.com/

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Russian glamour

Do you think a winter break should be all about big fur hats, dreamy walks in the snow and memories of Dr Zhivago? Then head to St Petersberg. With its onion-domed churches, palaces and monumental Soviet architecture, Russia’s most fabulous city offers an enchanting world of frozen canals, revolutionary heroes and masterpiece-filled museums free of crowds. See regent-holidays.co.uk for packages.|||http://regent-holidays.co.uk/

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Experience the Arctic

Ready for an adventure? Far above the Arctic Circle, Spitsbergen is a wildly beauitful island of polar bears and explorers. You can take a four-night husky safari across the frozen fjords to stay aboard Noorderlicht, a splendid red schooner caught in the ice. Book at activitiesabroad.com.|||http://www.activitiesabroad.com/page.aspx?pId=248

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Shopping in Sweden

When it comes to a winter shopping break, Stockholm is a firm Marie Claire favourite. Innovative design, superior Christmas markets, pretty parks and candlelit restaurants all make for a rewarding getaway. Stay at Skeppsholmen, a just-opened waterfront hotel with restful, minimalist interiors. For more information, see visitsweden.com.|||http://visitsweden.com/

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A cool hotel

Originally built for Swedish Royalty, Fjallnas Reserve is a 41-room mountain hotel that’s just had a hip makeover. It offers wilderness walks, wood-burning stoves, Missoni stripes and a spa.|||http://www.fjallnasreserve.com/home/en

Comfy cabin

For the love-in-a-log-cabin experience, head to Finland. You’ll find plenty of options from UK-based finnishlakesidecabins.com. We love Blueberry in the ski resort of Ruka.|||http://finnishlakesidecabins.com/

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